The first-place Buffalo Sabres lost two of their best players, and the Stanley Cup finalist Ottawa Senators fired their general manager and will have a new coach, but both teams will look a lot like this year, which should be enough to separate them from the division pack.
Early returns make Toronto look to be the best of the Northeast also-rans, which isn’t difficult since the Canadiens and the Bruins seem to be selling only hope these days.

Dallas Stars General Manager Doug Armstrong announced today that right wing Antti Miettinen has been awarded a one-year, $885,000 contract by a Toronto arbitrator.
Miettinen, 27, collected 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points in 74 games with the Stars last season. He ranked third on the team in hits (145) and logged an average of 14:19 minutes of ice time during the 2006-07 season. During the 2007 playoffs, he tallied two points (1-1-2) in four games.
“We’re happy to have this process behind us and to have Antti under contract for the upcoming season,” said Armstrong. “We accept the arbitrator’s decision as a neutral party.”

Anytime I’ve asked Waddell about trading Hossa, he says it’s something that doesn’t even cross his mind. He said negotiations with Hossa’s agent are right where they need to be right now. “There’s no timetable, no rush.” Waddell said last week about the Hossa negotiations.
But I see that hasn’t stopped the trade speculation. So I’m curious - where do you fall in a possible Hossa trade? And when do you think he’d have more trade value - right now or at the trade deadline?

Dear Mr. Lowe,
I’m writing you on behalf of all current and future NHL players and their agents. First, let me commend you on your brilliant use of the Collective Bargaining Agreement mechanism known as the offer sheet. In tendering both Thomas Vanek and, most recently, Dustin Penner you not only demonstrated keen insight into the minutiae of the binding agreement between players and management, you also exhibited an astute assessment of talent.

Just when you’ve recovered from the last riveting “Wings Scouting Report” Ansar Khan(!) punches you in the face with another one. Today….Nik Kronwall. Check out some of these outlandish statements:

“The hard-luck defenseman has sustained a significant injury in each of his three NHL seasons (he broke his leg in 2004 and tore a knee ligament in 2005).”

“Kronwall will need a new defense partner after Mathieu Schneider signed with Anaheim. He’s never played with Nicklas Lidstrom for any length of time.”

“The Wings have no doubt Kronwall will be an impact player. It’s why they locked him up to a five-year, $15 million contract extension last season. He’s going to be a top-four defenseman in Detroit for years to come.”

Another day, another contestant in the “Please, Will Someone For The Love Of Sweet Baby Jesus, Find A Replacement For ‘Fire On Ice’” campaign. John, an A2Y reader from glorious Saginaw, has decided that an elderly roster could very well finally come to be an advantage for the Wings PR Geniuses.

I received a few emails this morning from concerned fans about an internet report out of Russia which suggests that Alexander Semin suffered a knee injury while training in his homeland.
That’s not true, at least according to his agent, Mark Gandler. I spoke to Gandler this morning, and here’s what he had to say:
“I don’t want to call it an injury,” Gandler said. “He had a certain pain in his knee for the whole year while he was in Washington. It happens when he is running, particularly uphill and downhill. But it did not interfere in any of his on ice activities, whatsoever.”

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